Dr. Sara Williams and the Northwest Animal Hospital staff hosted a First Aid and CPR training event for the Plymouth Police K9 Unit this week. All three Plymouth K9 officers and their canine partners participated in the training. The course was designed specifically for K9 officers and included common injuries that K9s might experience in the line of duty.

Dr. Sara, an experienced First Aid and CPR instructor for humans, developed the course by adapting her previous training to cover K9 emergencies. The officers were taught how to handle breathing emergencies and cardiac arrest. They had a chance to practice “mouth to snout” artificial respirations and CPR techniques. Other topics included how to recognize and treat heat stroke, what to do for gunshot wounds and other types of trauma, how to bandage wounds and how to manage exposure to poisons or drugs.

The officers were also given First Aid Trauma kits to keep with them in case of emergencies. North Memorial Ambulance donated the bags for the First Aid Trauma bags. Midwest Veterinary Supply and Northwest Animal Hospital donated all the medical supplies in the kits.